The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-04-25
CLEVELAND THEIR SOLE HOPE.
George William Curtis on Presiden-
tial Candidates.
From The Nei0 York Times.


The views imputed to Mr. George William
Curtis in regard to the prospects of Presi-
dent Clevelands denomination by the Dem
ocratic party next year, in an interview
with that gentleman recently published i'll
the Cincinnati Enquirer, have naturally
been widely copied throughout the
country and have given rise to a good
deal of comment of one kind and another.
Mr.. Curtis position among the refOrmers in
the field of politics gives a mar&ed interest
and significance to his opinions regarding
Mr.. Cleveland and his administration, and
it is important that his views should be care
fullyrecprded. A reporter yesterday saw the
gentleman in his library at West Brighton
and asked him respecting the interview in
Cincinnati. Mr. Curtis said:
Il had a very pleasant and prolonged con-
versatiOn with gentlemen representing the
Enquirer, who listened to what | had to
say, but took no notes, and after leaving me
wrote out in perfect good faith his impress
sion of the conversation. Naturally when
his views and my own somewhat agreed he
blended the two, and i'll some cases without
discriminating as to qualifications Of opin-
ions which | had made"
what do you think of President Cleve-
lands prospects for a renominatOnM asked
the reporter.
''Mr. Cleveland is incomparably the
strongest candidate that is available for the
Democratic party, and the party cannot re-
fuse to renominate him without inviting de
feat. So far as those interested in civil ser
vice reform are concerned, | think, with the
league that Mr. Cleveland'S administration
| is to be judged by the two years yet before
it rather than by the two which have passed
To refuse to renominate the President
would be to reject the general position
which he has taken on this subject and
that would ALLEVIATE the entire independent
vote which supported the Democratic can
didate in 1884 and, think, elected him
| That the Democratic party cannot afford to
do In addition TO the Independent vote,
which supported him before. the President
by his course has won for himself a general
| confidence throughout the country indie
pendent of party. Mr.. Cleveland if he is re-
nominated will be his own platform, and
will be supported bya very large vote with
out regard to his party, as he was in 1884
THE unfavorable part of his prospects,
continued Mr.. Curtis, lis in the undOubted
hostility of a certain portion of the Demo
cratic machine of this State, but that hos
tility will probably be Overborne by the il
resistible sentiment of the party and the
necessities of the case. There is, in fact
under the circumstances, no candidate
for the Democratic party except Mr..
Cleveland His views, especially those re-
gardlng the CIVIL service, are not the Gus
tomary or traditional views of the Demo-
cratic party, and that is the subject on
which the preiudices of the party are most
easily excited, but the prejudice will have
to give way ii the party wants to retain
any hope of success in the campaign"
'Do you think that Mr. Blaine will again
be the leader of the RepublicansT
II think that Mr.. Blaine viii he decidedly
weaker as a candidate in 1883 than he was
in 1884. | see no reason to believe that he
has gained votes in any quarter, while the
greater confidence in Mr. Cleveland which
his administration has inspired will lead a
great many to support him next year who
voted for Mr. Blaine in 1884 There is, |
think, very strong feeling among the Re
publican managers that the denomination of
Mr. Blaine would be an act of very doubt
| full party policy, for the reason that while
their personal feeling for him may be I'M
changed, they are unable to see that he will
be any stronger in 1888 than he was in 1884.
The more sagacious of the Republican man
ayers, l think, feel it to be very desirable to
make a nomination that may tend largelvt to
recall the Independent vote which deserted
them in 1884, and for that reason | think
that the Republican nomination is in great
doubt. As to the probable result OF the
election, assuming that Mr.. Cleveland win
be the Democratic nominee, it is altogether
too early to express a confident opinion